Petersfield Museum facts for kids
Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery is a cool place to visit in the old market town of Petersfield, England. It's in Hampshire county. This museum opened in 1999. It's a special independent museum and a charity. It has become a hub for art, history, and community events.
Where to Find the Museum
The Museum and Art Gallery is located in the Old Police Station. You can find it on St Peter's Road in Petersfield. This spot was once home to Petersfield House. This was the manor for the Jolliffe family until 1793. The police station was built later in 1858. Thomas Stopher and his son designed the building. He was the architect for Hampshire Constabulary. The building first had homes for a police superintendent and two officers. It also had three jail cells. There were stables and a cart house too.
Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery also includes Petersfield's old courthouse. This building was made in 1893. It is located right behind the police station. This 'Petty Sessional Court House' was where the Petersfield Museum first started. It was founded by the 'Petersfield Area Historical Society' in the 1990s.
A Look at the Museum's History
Petersfield Museum first opened in 1999. It was inside the old courthouse. A group of local historians, 'The Petersfield Area Historical Society,' led its start. Since then, the museum has grown. It now includes the Old Police Station building. Between 2017 and 2021, the museum got a big upgrade. This nearly £4 million project was helped by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Today, the museum site has both the courthouse and police station. These buildings hold the Museum and Art Gallery. You can also find a shop and a coffee shop. There is also the Edward Thomas Study Centre.
Amazing Collections to Explore
The Museum and Art Gallery has many different collections. These include art, archaeology, and historical items. There are also photographs, old documents, and maps. They all tell the story of Petersfield and the nearby areas.
Discovering Ancient History: Archaeology
Most of the Archaeology Collection comes from a project. It was called 'People of the Heath.' Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery hosted this project. It ran from 2014 to 2018. 'People of the Heath' studied Bronze Age burial mounds. These mounds are found on Petersfield Heath. The project dug up 14 of the 21 mounds.
Fashion Through Time: Textiles and Dress
The Fashion and Textiles Collection is full of clothes. It has handmade items and ready-to-wear clothing. It also includes designer pieces. These items range from the 1700s to today. This collection also holds the Bedales Historic Dress Collection. These are old clothes from the drama department of Bedales School. The school is in Steep. These clothes were used in plays since the 1940s. In 2007, Bedales gave over 1000 items to the museum. This included clothes for ladies, men, and children. They date back to 1720.
The Art of Flora Twort
Flora Twort (1893-1985) was an English artist. She was known for her watercolours and pastels. She painted scenes and people from everyday life. Twort studied art at London Polytechnic and Slade School of Art. Later, Flora Twort moved to Petersfield. She opened a studio at No. 1 and No. 2 The Square. She also helped run The Petersfield Workshop and Bookshop. She worked with Hester Wagstaff and Maria Brahms there.
Flora Twort's paintings showed scenes from her life in Hampshire. She painted Petersfield Market day. She also captured the Taro Fair in the 1920s and 1930s. She was a member of the Society of Women Artists. Her paintings were shown at the Royal Academy of Arts. They were also displayed at the New English Art Club.
After Flora Twort passed away in 1985, she left her cottage and studio. She also left examples of her art to Hampshire County Council. It was run as a museum and restaurant until 2008. In 2009, the Flora Twort Gallery and its collections moved. They became part of the Petersfield Museum Trust. This collection has paintings, sketches, and papers about her life.
Capturing Moments: Photography Collection
The Photography Collection has over 10,000 photos and postcards. They date from the late 1800s to today. In 2016, Don Eades gave his life's work to the museum. He was a photographer from Buriton. His collection shows daily life from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. It includes Petersfield's first supermarket and village sports. There are also photos of cycling lessons and a modern factory.
Everyday Life: Social History Collection
The social history collection shows how people lived. It covers the social, economic, and cultural history of Petersfield. It also includes the surrounding villages. The collection has local products. These include Minibrix from the local Itshide rubber factory. There are also signs from local pubs and shops. You can see tools and objects used in homes. Some special items include a Penny-farthing bicycle. It was made on the Isle of Wight. There is also the Coat of Arms from the old magistrates court.
The Edward Thomas Study Centre
Edward Thomas (1878-1917) was a British poet and writer. He lived nearby in the village of Steep. He started writing poetry there in December 1914. He was 36 years old. Over the next two and a half years, he wrote all 144 of his poems. The landscapes around him inspired him. Much of his poetry showed his love for nature. It also showed how the War affected life in England. Thomas knew other writers. These included English poet Gordon Bottomley and American poet Robert Frost. Frost's famous poem, 'The Road Not Taken,' was inspired by walks with Thomas. Edward Thomas's most famous poem is Adlestrop. He joined the Artists Rifles in July 1915. He later moved to the Royal Garrison Artillery in October 1916. He passed away during service at the first Battle of Arras on April 9, 1917.
Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery has created a special place. It is the only Edward Thomas Study Centre in England. It was made with the Edward Thomas Fellowship. This centre has a very important collection of books. These books are by and about Edward Thomas. This collection belonged to Tim Wilton-Steer. His family gave it to the Edward Thomas Fellowship.
